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I spend a lot of my work time helping individuals, groups and organizations figure out what they want and how to go about getting it. A key ingredient in that recipe is creating a compelling and engaging Vision. Identifying one's desires then painting a sensory rich picture of that compelling destination as a preliminary step to manifesting it.

Why Having a Vision Is Crucial:
All of us are busy, busy people and we operate in busy, busy worlds. Pushed about by many competing forces, demands, wants and desires. Creating a Vision, whether you are a large company or an individual, helps to stabilize, ground and guide us. A vision brings clarity, focus and alignment --- synchronizing your time, efforts and energy towards what you really want (rather than just creating by default or helter skelter).

Tips to Create an Uber-Powerful Vision:
Below are tips for creating powerful personal visions. The emphasis is on creating personal visions (for individuals, couples or families) but the same basic principles apply to corporate and organizational visions too.

1. Determine the Timeframe You Want to Manifest By
2. Define What You Really Want
3. Use Present Tense Language
4. Do Your Inner and Outer Work
5. Be Fine In The Meantime
6. Map Your Vision and Date It!

1. Determine Your Timeframe:
Begin with determining the time frame of your vision. When do you want the things you desire to manifest by? What time frame makes sense or feels intuitively right for you? A few days or weeks? 3 months? 6-months? A year? Two years? Three? Five? Ten? More? Determine the length of time that feels right for you to be operating in. Remember, you can tweak it later if you need to. And, pay attention to any resistance you have to settling on a specific time frame or deadline--- there is interesting information to gather/reflect on if this is happening for you.

2. Define What You Really Want
Here's where the fun begins. You get to sort it out with yourself (and/or your partner!) about what you really, really want. This is where you brainstorm about all of the many things you would like to be, do or have and prioritize them --- getting them down to seven main components. Why seven? Cause seven is the number that researchers know works best for our human brains. We work best in chunks of information (that's why most phone numbers are a max of 7 numbers). Hint: a really great way to brainstorm about your Personal Vision is to complete this sentence: Wouldn't It Be Nice If ________________. Brainstorm about 20 answers and see what comes out, then cluster into common themes.

3. Use Present Tense Language & Be As Specific as It Still Feels Good:
Once you've determined the seven areas of your vision (can be less, can be more), write summary statements in present tense language and be as specific as possible. Normally this means beginning your statement with "I have" or "I am" and using numbers and other tangible descriptors where possible.

For example, if one area of your Vision involves improving your finances, your statement might read: "I Have Easily Doubled My Net Worth to 500K". A statement around relationship might read: "We Have a Satisfying and Enjoyable Partnership That Lovingly Supports Both of Us" or "I Have a Great Relationship with My Body and Am At My Ideal Weight of 140lbs / Size 8".

If you find that when you get very specific about what you want and your mood changes (i.e. you become grumpy, irritable or grouchy) … then pull back on the specificity and write a more general statement … wordsmith until you find the right level of detail for you. It's just a sign that you have bumped into your resistance and need to back off a bit for now. (my full SHIFT-IT Graphic Coaching Process® addresses this phenomenon and how to effectively work with it).

4. Do Your Inner and Outer Work:
Once you've created a Personal Vision with about seven components to it, you will most likely need to do both some inner and outer work in order to manifest it.

The "inner work" is in believing or allowing that your Vision is possible and more specifically, possible for you! You can vision until the 'cows come home' but unless you believe your vision is possible for you, you won't manifest it. Some people have blocks that prevent them from believing their Visions are possible. I call this phenomenon "Trouble at the Border" --- the psychological and energetic border between where you currently are and where you desire to be. This border is connected to problematic beliefs, attitudes, and outlooks that you picked up somewhere along your path (and in the path of your genetic or tribe). It is possible to break through these patterns. But you've got to be prepared to discover and shift them in order to become a true and genuine match to what you desire.

The other work to be done is "Outer Work". Often times Visions can seem far away and unobtainable, perhaps even a little overwhelming. The thing to do is break the gap down into smaller units ---begin to figure out what you can do, in the now, to make movement towards your Vision, even if it's seemingly small. While thoughts and beliefs systems are very important (inner work) good, old fashioned 'Outer Work' or actions is an important part of the equation. Roll up your sleeves and start to take actions on what you presently can – that is aligned with the Vision that you have created for yourself. Trust that your next steps will emerge after you've implemented your immediate ones.

5. Make Peace with Your Meantime:
Visions can take time to manifest, especially if you've chosen a longer time frame or have layers of resistance or mixed beliefs. Take heart that visioning is a lot like gardening. You plant a seed, weed, water and wait --- with a 'but of course' attitude. Of course the seed will sprout and eventually mature … that is just the way nature does it.

In gardening, it is counter-productive to pick at or dig up something you've just planted. The same goes for visioning. Don't pick at your Vision. Trust it and let it be. Don't get frustrated when it doesn't instantly materialize. Know that everything has a natural incubation or gestation process. Lightly do the action steps that are immediate in front of you. Allow life to gracefully unfold.

Just the other day I ran into a friend of mine (Hi Andrew!) who had done visioning work with me about two years ago. With a twinkle in his eye he told me about how his Vision has slowly but surely snuck up on him and that he is now living that reality. "That vision stuff we did sure worked", he said. You can have that experience too. Be fine 'in the meantime' and trust that things are working even if the results aren't quite visible … yet. Visioning is powerful mojo!

6. Map Your Vision and Date It:

One of the reasons Andrew was able to remember his Vision and appreciate the progress he has made is because we mapped his Vision out! He had a tangible, recorded piece of paper to show what he had envisioned for himself back when. He reviewed it occasionally and focused on the tasks at hand. Only in hindsight really seeing how much of it panned out over time.	Magnetism Map Example

So, I invite you to map your own Vision out. As a pioneer in Graphic Coaching I’ve devised a handy template (The Magnetism Map) to help you easily (and enjoyable) create your Personal Vision. This productive visual tool is one of 14 that make up my custom SHIFT-IT Graphic Coaching Process®.

P.S. Additional SHIFT-IT Support:

FYI, if you’d like expert support to further help you with the manifestation of your Personal Vision … including the Trouble at the Border resistance work, check out these additional SHIFT-IT services and products:

SHIFT-IT Online Group (7 week online course, includes full SHIFT-IT Kit … next one starts tomorrow morning!)

SHIFT-IT Central (low fee weekly support group for new and returning SHIFTers)

The SHIFT-IT Home Retreat Kit (home study course for do-it-yourselfers).

SHIFT-IT Coach Certification (for coaches and therapists who want to use the SHIFT-IT Coaching Process® and suite of 17 visuals tools with their own clientele).

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© 2010 Christina L. Merkley

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this blurb and a functional link to my site:

Christina Merkley, "The SHIFT-IT Coach" and creator of the SHIFT-IT System®, is a Visioning and Strategic Planning Expert specializing in Visual Thinking and Law of Attraction techniques. Based in charming Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, she works deeply with individuals, partners and conscious businesses to define and manifest what they truly want. And, trains other helping professionals in her innovative ways of working. For more www.shift-it-coach.com

Looking for more rich, SHIFT-IT content? Check out my blog for recent ramblings, resources and general interest features:

• 6 Tips & Visual Map to Create Powerful Personal Vision
• Craft Your Powerful SHIFT-IT Statement
• Go For Your 'A' Life
• Latest Law of Attraction Tidbits
• Flex Your Focus Muscles
• Top 10 Soothing Thoughts for Adult Learners
• Find the Feeling Place of Success

Besides the Blog, there are plenty of articles to read in the Ezine Archives. Browse past issues here.

Click Here to Read SHIFT-IT Blog

Ready for your SHIFT? There is a HUGE TRANSITION going on in the world today both at a spiritual and physical level. Many people are feeling the call to ascend to a crisper, cleaner and more soul satisfying life - are you one of them? Enlist me as your personal transition aid. Define your vision, bust through your interfering resistance and start taking action. Pioneering Graphic Coaching and Law of Attraction methods.

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